The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus having imaging means utilizing an electrophotographic process.
Conventionally, an electrophotographic apparatus having imaging means utilizing an electrophotographic process is provided with a sheet convey path along which a sheet is conveyed, an image forming mechanism for forming an image on the sheet conveyed along the sheet convey path, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the toner image on the sheet thereon. The fixing mechanism includes a pair of heat rollers which are in rolling-contact with each other, and which fix the toner image onto the sheet by a heat.
In the conventional electrophotographic apparatus, it is necessary to utilize heat energy for the fixing operation. As a result, a large amount of heat energy would be necessary to maintain the heat temperature in the fixing mechanism to a fixing possible temperature. This causes a so-called energy loss. In order to solve the problems in the energy loss, in other words, to save energy, the temperature is conventionally lowered from the heat possible temperature to a stand-by temperature when the image forming operation suspends for a predetermined period of time.
Such a lowering of the temperature in the fixing mechanism to the stand-by temperature can certainly save energy rather than to maintain the temperature in the fixing mechanism to the fixing possible temperature. In recent years, however, the demand to save energy has increased.